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The back garden at Williamsburg's New Orleans-themed cocktail and oyster bar Maison Premiere won't open for a few more weeks (there's some landscaping to finish up), but the cocktails have moved toward warmer weather, with a menu that includes 16 new concoctions from head bartender Maxwell Britten and his team.

There's a collection of refreshing julep variations including a version with genever, Carpano Antica, and Gran Classico (one of my favorite aperitifs) and another with hibiscus-infused Tanqueray gin. There are seven absinthe-based cocktails, featuring a range of different absinthes from lighter-flavored blanches to the spicy, herbal vertes, which pair better with more powerful amari and bitters. (You can also sample more than 25 different absinthes prepared on the traditional drip fountain.)

Not into anise-flavored spirits? On a list this big, there are plenty of other options, too, including the rhum agricole and rye-based League of Missing Men (sweetened with a touch of pineapple syrup) and the delicate and refreshing pisco-based Tansy.